Ratchet compound spud-wrench.



A. E. RUTH, RATCHET COMPOUND S PUD WRENCH. APPLI'CATldN FILED MAY 14. I915.

Patented 0015.. 5, I915.

ANDREW E. RUTH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

RATCHET COMPOUND SPUD-WRENCH.

Patented Oct. 5, 1915. Application filed may 14, 1915. Serial No. 28,057.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW E. RUTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Ratchet Compound Spudrench; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved ratchet multiple spud wrench especially adapted for connecting and disconnecting a union or ground nipple or spud to a radiator. I 1 Y One of the objects ofthe invention is to provide a wrench member having a multiplicity of nipple or spud engaging devices, whereby spuds or nipples of different sizes ma y be connected and disconnected to radiators, said wrench member having ratchet means, whereby an intermittent motion may be imparted to the wrench member.

Another object of the invention is that the spud or nipple engaging wrench section vary in sizes substantially from the center of the wrench member toward its opposite end.

Another object of the invention is the provision of oppositely disposed elongated grooves or recesses upon the spud or nipple engaging wrench sections, to receive diametrically oppositely disposed lugs on the interior of the nipple orspud, whereby the same may be connected to the. radiator or disconnected therefrom.

Another object of the invention is that said lug engaging grooves or recesses of the wrench sectionsare of considerable width,

in order to permit of a partial play of the wrench member, in order to enable the spud or nipple to be easily started when connecting or disconnecting the same. In other words, by the provision of such a playa jolt or sudden knock maybe given the s ud or nipple, to overcome the frictional blnding of the nipple or spud threads and the threads in the wall of the radiator.

In practical fields the details of construction 'may necessitate alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter'set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a radiator, showing the improved spud or nipple wrench in Specification of Letters Patent.

with an integral disk the act about" to be received bythe spud or nipple for disconnecting the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the ratchet mechanism of the wrench, showing the spud wrench in elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation -of the spud or nipple wrench, showing the ratchet casing and its handle broken off.

Referring .to the drawings 1 designates a wrench member, which is provided with a plurality of spuds or nipple engaging wrench sections 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, which. respectively vary in sizes in cross section, so as to' engage different sizes of spuds, or ground nipples, or unions 7. Such spuds, nipples or unions are provided upon theirv interiors with diametrically oppositely disposed lugs 8. Each of the sections from 2- to 6 inclusive are provided with-diametrically oppositely disposed grooves or recesses I These grooves 9 are wider than thethe radiator. Substantially the central portion of the wrench member 1 is provided 10 having ratchet teeth 11. The disk 10 fits an annular casing 12, which is open sided as shown. However, one of the open sides is provided with an annular flange 13, against the inner face of which one side of the disk 10 engages. An annular ring plate 14 is secured to the other side of the casing by the screws or other suitable means 15, for retaining the disk in the casing, so that the casing may move on the disk. The casing is rovided with a hollow extension 16, in the ore or chamber 17 of which a ratchet plunger dog 18' is 'mounted having a beveled portion 1,9, so

that the dog will slip. by or over the teeth of the disk 10 when the casing is moved in 20 connected toit, which shank or rod passes the dog will en-' broad combination of a spud through a tubular handle 21, which is threaded at 22 into the extension 16, andthe upper end of the rod or shank 20 is provided with a knob or button 23, so as to raise the dog out of engagement with the teeth of the disk 10, for reversing its position, so that it may ratchet over the-teeth in the opposite direction. In order that the dog may yieldably ratchet over said teeth a suitable coil spring 24 is mounted in the bore or chamber 17 between the dog and the lower end of the tubular handle 21.

In operation, either one or the other of said sections 2 to 6 inclusive of the wrench member is inserted in the spud, nipple or union, in order that the lugs will engage the recesses or grooves 9 of the sections, after which an intermittent motion is imparted to the wrench member, thereby connecting or disconnecting the spud or ground nipple to 'or from the radiator. The grooves or recesses are of greater width than the lug, so that one wall or the other of each of the recesses will suddenly contact with its respective lug, so as to impart a sudden jar or jolt to the spud, to overcome the frictional binding of the interengaging threads of the spud and the radiator.

The inventor is well aware that spud wrenches have heretofore been used and patented, but there has been great difficulty in turning the wrench member, for instance in using a pipe or other wrench on the spud wrench member, every now and then a new grip on the member must be exerted, and even when securing a good grip it has been found very difficult to turn the spud wrench member, in other words, to start the spud. The inventor is also well aware that intermittent ratchet devices have been produced, but as far as the inventor can ascertain there is no intermittent ratchet device provided that will fit a spud wrench member for turning the same, and furthermore, there is no tool found in the commercial field, in which the spud wrench member is combined with an intermittent ratchet device, that will easily and expeditiously start andun: screw a spud or nipple with ease and con-' venience. Moreover, the inventor. is not claiming the broad or generic idea of a spud wrench member, nor is he claiming the wrench member and an intermittent ratchet device. For instance, the inventor is not claimin such structure in the terms following:

spud wrench member and an intermittent meaeeo ratchet device. However, the inventor is claiming an essential construction of spud wrench member, as set forth in the claims, in combination with means broadly to impart an intermittent motion to the member.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. In combination, a wrench member having a multiple of spud sections varying in sizes substantially from the central portion of the wrench member toward its opposite ends, each of said spud or nipple engaging sections having diamet= or nipple engaging. I

each of said spud ceive diametrically oppositely disposed lugs on the interior of the spud or nipple, sai grooves being of sufiicient width to permit the lugs to have looseness of play therein, and means for imparting an intermittent motion to the wrench member;

3. In combination, a wrench member having a multiple of spud engaging sections of varying diameters in crbss section substantially from the central portion of the wrench member toward its opposite ends, each of said spud engaging sections having diametrically oppositely disposed grooves to receive diametrically oppositely disposed lugs on the interior of the spuds, the groove of one section being alined with the groove of each of the other sections, and varying in widths, each set of grooves being of greater width than the width of said lug to permit of a slight play of the wrench member so as to impart a jarring action on the spud to start the same, and means for imparting an intermittent motion to the wrench member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW E. RUTH.

Witnesses:

ALBERT S. GATLEY, DEAN Srmr'r. 

